HOW TO : crispy polenta without oil

if you are, like me, into whole foods and unprocessed plants you might like this one. how to make crispy polenta squares without using oil to fry them in – golden crunchy on the outside, cheesy gooey on the inside. the trick is amazingly simple – just coat the cold polenta squares with some of the uncooked polenta grain, and we get a crunchy breadcrumby texture.

i like serving these simply, with just a green salad and a hearty black bean salsa – a perfectly luxurious yet simple dinner.
oh i’ve got a recipe video for my black bean salsa planned for next week !

using polenta grain as breadcrumbs is perfect for anyone allergic to gluten, and a colourful fun way to add some crunch to anything from potato wedges to fried tofu. in this recipe i’m adding some spices to the polenta to add some flavour. but you can just go with the polenta in itself too if you want a plainer version.

polenta squares
serves 2
100 ml / 0.4 cup polenta
500 ml / 2 cups water
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
a healthy pinch of salt

coating
50 ml / 0.2 cup polenta
1/2 tsp onion powder (optional)
chipotle pepper or smoked paprika, to taste (optional)
black pepper, to taste
a pinch of salt

– add the water to a pot and bring to a boil. stir in the polenta and minced garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes until thick and glossy. add the nutritional yeast and salt while stirring.
– spread out evenly (however thick or thin you like your squares) on a parchment paper and let cool completely in room temperature, takes about one hour.
– preheat your oven to 225°C / 440°F.
– mix all the coating ingredients in a bowl. cut the cooled off polenta into squares (or whatever shape you like) and dip each side of every square in the coating. place on a parchment paper lined oven tray and toast for about 5-10 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy. you can of course fry them in a pan instead of oven-toasting them too !